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Wild Huntsmen
The Wild Huntsmen is a Mercenary Corps that operates primarily within the Mainland. Founded by the notorious scoundrel Black Manfred, the Huntsmen have a reputation as a solid fighting force with a particularly valuable emphasis on mounted cavalry, and they have attracted the services of numerous famous warriors over the years. This is exemplified in their current leader, the notorious Headhunter. Despite having typical Mercenary stances on impartiality, the Corps has a close working relationship with House Blackthorne. They have often given their swords to Western causes, to the point where their roster of fighters is heavily weighted towards natives of the Thunderlands. Until recently the Corps was captained by Arianne West, a supposed Blackthorne bastard. History In 851AE, near where the deadlands bordered the silkwood, a peasant claimed to have spied a headless stag running through the forest. The tale was dismissed as mere rumor until multiple other peasants from the neighboring farming villages claimed to have spied a similar beast. Their descriptions of it all matched; it was larger than any other deer, its fur was pitch black, and great antlers hung suspended in the air above the place where its head might have been. Lord Simon Blackthorne took an interest in the story and dispatched one of his household knights, Sir Manfred Wilde, to investigate alongside a hundred other mounted soldiers. The hunt led Manfred and his men deep into the Silkwood. They spent months hunting for the creature amongst the trees, battling spiders and bandits, and uncovering many treasures on their way. While they never found the mysterious stag, Manfred and his men soon acquired a taste for their lifestyle and began to turn against their former Blackthorne leader. They began acting as outlaws, with their leader acquiring notoriety for the black hood he wore in an attempt to disguise his identity. Their banner showed the decapitated black stag they'd been sent to find. The Huntsmen, as it were, had gone Wild. Recent Events Arianne West brings 100 of her best men aboard the Stormrise Dagger, tasked by the Bloodhawk to infiltrate the expedition to the Untamed Isle and loot any potential profits found on the journey. Although she does manage to locate a large chest of treasure in a vampire nest, the plan goes awry when the expedition fleet is attacked by a horde of demons. Arianne with her companions Ogden and J'Zara are the only survivors of the attack. Back on the Mainland, the company has been taken over by the infamous Headhunter. In the Knox-Blackthorne War, the Headhunter shares correspondence with Lord Jaster Blackthorne, demanding lands, a keep and a bride in exchange for his services. Negotiations collapse quickly and the Wild Huntsmen are presently idle, camped on Mannister lands and waiting for a contract. Composition The Wild Huntsmen can field 4400 fighting men in total. Their strength is comprised as follows; * 800 Mounted Cavalry (at least 300 of this number are squires) * 1400 Infantry * 1000 Archers * 200 spellcasters and assorted personnel (healers, blacksmiths, etc) Notable Members Captains * Arianne West, called the "Griffin's Bastard." * The Headhunter, a notorious warrior with a dark reputation, the current commander. * Black Manfred, the corps' founder. * Gaenor, a wood elf master archer who was Arianne's predecessor. * Hieronymus Jex, a mysterious figure of ambiguous race who was Gaenor's predecessor. * Kah'lar, a dwarven warrior who was Jex's predecessor. Members * Ogden, called "the Mad," a fearsomely strong but brain-damaged dwarf. * J'Zara, a High Feline mage, * Gaeus Thormund, master-of-infantry, exiled son of House Thormund. * Floyd the Barber, master of the company's archers. * Edelweiss, a mute girl who serves as the Headhunter's squire. * Longfinger Lew, man-at-arms, slain by demons at the Untamed Isle. * Billyboy, man-at-arms, slain by demons at the Untamed Isle. * Oxley, man-at-arms, slain by demons at the Untamed Isle. * The HalfOrc, man-at-arms, slain by demons at the Untamed Isle. * Nerron, wood elf archer, slain by Knox troops at the Untamed Isle. * Smithee, company blacksmith. * Hobb and Bobb, twin dwarven cooks. * Gilgun Lockjaw, son of the orc chieftan Grimgar Lockjaw. * Jory, a watchman/scout with a sour temperament.